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Dane County Farmers' Market eNewsletter | |
May 7, 2011
6:00 am - 2:00 pm
Downtown Madison Parking Map
(Private ramps and street parking are also available.)
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This Week ...
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 While the Leaves May Not be on the Trees ...
... the flowers are certainly hanging in the baskets. There
are baskets from many DCFM vendors to choose from.
These are from Salad Garden Greenhouse
[South Pinckney St.] --Photo by Bill Lubing
Dear DCFM Enthusiast,
Early Crops showing up at MarketOne good result of the asparagus running a little late this season is that we'll have it later in the season. In other words, we haven't heard of its arrival at the Dane County Farmers' Market (DCFM) just yet. That should not be taken to mean that none of the "first up" arrivals are showing up. There's plenty green to eat, green to plant, and all colors of the rainbow to enjoy at this week's DCFM. And For Mother's Day ...The sky is the limit. Perhaps a cheesecake, cupcakes, flower arrangement, or hanging basket will please that special mom. Make her a great meal using some of the superb meats, vegetables, and cheeses available at the market. And don't forget the bread, of which many fine bakers offer a huge range of styles. Or make it easy and fun. Bring an extra bag to the market to fill your mom's refrigerator with some onions, spinach, potatoes, parsnips, tomatoes, or mixed greens. See you at market.
Bill Lubing
bill@dcfm.org
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First Friends 'School on the Square' | | 
There's something new this Saturday as Friends of the DCFM kick off the first 'School on the Square' The school will now be held in the courtyard of Graze Restaurant, in front of the US Bank Building on [South Pinckney St.]. Look for the red tents.
Children's activities begin at 11:00 am with folks from the UW Nelson Institute lending a hand so participants can start their own garden.
The chef demo takes place at noon. This week Chef Tory Miller from L'Etoile and Graze will be demonstrating (and sampling!) delicious recipes made with different cheeses available at the market.
If there is inclement weather the school will be held the following Saturday, with school cancellations announced by 9:00 am. Look for signs at the booth.
In addition to the more 'traditional' School on the Square activities for kids, the first Saturday of each month Friends will be hosting a featured local chef who will demonstrate two or three dishes made from ingredients found at the Dane County Farmers' Market. Attendees will walk away with recipes, information on the market vendors who provide the ingredients, as well as a new-found excitement to go home and cook up something amazing made with market ingredients!
New partners this year including REAP, the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, L'Etoile and Graze, and the UW Nelson Institute. For more information on this and other Friends programs, contact Sarah Elliott at friends.sarahe@gmail.com.
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Recipes:
Potato, Onion, and Nettles Soup Pork Chops Yum-Yum | | 
Potato, Onion, and Nettles Soup accompanied by
Cress Spring Bakery cranberry bread. Here's lunch!
[West Mifflin St.] --Photo by Bill Lubing
Potato, Onion, and Nettles SoupOK, we know this makes it two weeks in a row that we've featured soup. So the fresh little secret is out ... we love making soup. It's just that soup is one of the best ways to capture the flavors of these early season greens. Nettles, found at a few vendors at the market, including Brantmeier Family Farm [North Pinckney St.] and Harmony Valley Farm [East Mifflin St. ]. There are probably a few more that carry them as well. Bear in mind that nettles must be harvested early, before they get to stinging you. Despite their fierce sting when touched in their more mature stage, this is a surprisingly mild soup, with a subtle flavor. If you can't find the nettles or are not quite ready to try them, substitute spinach, watercress or possibly even mustard greens for the nettles. We've not tried mustard greens in this recipe. That, we imagine, would have a bit of a kick! Ingredients- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups onions
- 3 cups potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 4 cups nettles (loosely packed)
- 1 cup milk (or half & half or a combination of the two for extra thickness)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 3 tablespoons chopped chives
- 3 cups of chicken stock (optional)
Directions- In a soup pot heat butter over low heat. Add onions. Cover and cook until tender, around 10 minutes.
- Add potatoes and three cups of water or chicken stock. Cover and then simmer for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
- Add nettles and cook until wilted, around five minutes. Stir frequently.
- Blend contents in a food processor or blender until it's smooth.
- Return contents to the pot and stir in the milk. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring heat up to just before a boil (Do not boil).
- Stir in 2 tablespoons of the chives.
- Turn off the heat. Let the soup cool for 10 minutes
- Ladle into bowls, topping with remaining chives.
______________________________________ Pork Chops Yum-Yum 
Pork Chops Yum-Yum --Photo by PaulaG
Pork Chops Yum-Yum by Brad Beckwith Silly name, great dish. Simple, quick, and delicious, these chops are easy to prepare and delicious. The honey gives them a beautiful glaze while the ginger tempers the honey's sweetness by broadening out the high note. To make them super special, many of the ingredients are available at the market. IngredientsDirections - Brown chops on both sides.
- Place in greased casserole dish.
- Mix all remaining ingredients and pour over pork chops.
- Bake, uncovered, at 350 for one hour.
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At Market This Week
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The Makings of a Fine Acorn Squash...
... to be baked, pureed, chunked, or frozen
after harvest from your garden. Seedlings
from Rare Earth Products. [North Pinckney St.] --Photo by Bill Lubing
We strive to keep this list as accurate as possible. We probably missed an item or two that is at the market or listed an item as available when it is not. Chances are not all items mentioned or listed below will be at each market. Due to inclement weather, product availability, and other factors, some vendors listed below may need to cancel participation in this week's market. Look for early chives, sorrel, and watercress at the market. Last week we bought some nettles to begin our exploration of that seasonal green's capabilities as a serious ingredient. The result? This week's recipe and plans to buy more next week. Like much early produce, it won't last long. The same can be said for ramps, which will be exiting from our dinner table within the next couple of weeks. Meanwhile, the quantity and variety of tomatoes expands. Spinach is being joined by arugula and the first of the spring garlic will be making its appearance. No word of morels just yet, but there are several vendors selling fresh mushrooms.
The variety and quantity of garden stock continues to grow at the market. From little seedlings to transplantable trees, you'll find what you're looking for at the DCFM. To find a vendor or product you can: 1) check the DCFM website or take a leisurely stroll through the market. If you'd like to check with your favorite vendor about product availability, go here, then do a search for contact information. And remember, you can always inquire at the Information Booth, at the corner of North Carroll and West Mifflin streets at the top of State St. Bakery Biscotti Cheese bread Cheesecake Cinnamon rolls Cookies Cupcakes Flat breads 'Mpanata Muffins Panettone Pastries Ragusa Style Semolina Bread Scaccia Scones Sweet breads Tea breads Torts Tortillas Whole wheat sourdough
Cheese
Cheese curds
Goat cheese
Sheep milk cheese
Mixed milk cheeses
Cottage Cheese
World-class aged cheeses
Fresh Cut, Dried Flowers
Cut Flowers
Dried Arrangements Cut Flowers
Pussy Willows
Red Curly Willow
Red Dogwood
Fresh Vegetables Beets
Asparagus
Burdock
Carrots
Chives
Garlic
Herbs
Leeks
Micro greens
Onions (several varieties, overwintered)
Parsnips
Potatoes
Radishes
Ramps
Shallots
Salad mixes
Scallions
Spinach
Tomatoes, canned
Tomatoes, fresh
Turnips
Fruit
Apples
Jams, jellies, preserves
Raspberries (frozen)
Strawberries (frozen)
Tomatoes, canned
Beautiful cut flowers and arrangement
are grown by Carol Larsen of Sunborn Gardens.. [East Mifflin St.] --Photo by Bill Lubing Live PlantsBedding plants Nursery stock Prairie Plants Vegetable, herb, and flower transplants Woodland plants
Meats (Grass and grain fed) Angus beef
Beef
Bison
Brats and sausage
Chicken
Conventional cuts
Emu
Elk
Ham
Highland beef
Lamb
Pork
Rabbit
Special cuts
Venison
Fresh and smoked trout
Smoked salmon
Specialty Items
Baklava
Bloody Mary mix Candles
Dried Gourds
Eggs
Flavored sea salt
Honey
Hot sauces
Infused olive oil
Maple syrup
Mushrooms
Pasties (frozen)
Persian Toffee
Pesto
Rhubarb Sauce
Salsa
Soup (canned and frozen)
Sunflower oil
Tomato sauces
Tortillas
Vinaigrettes
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Tell Her You Love Here ...
...Tell Her You Love Her
With Flowers from the
Dane County Farmers' Market
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--Photos by Bill Lubing Return to In This Issue Contents |
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Market Information
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2011 Saturday Outdoor Market Schedule
Date: Begins April 16, 2011 through Nov. 5, 2011
Hours: 6:00 am to 2:00 pm
Where: Downtown Madison on the Capitol Square
2011 Wednesday Outdoor Market Schedule
Date: Begins April 20, 2011 through Nov. 2, 2011
Hours: 8:30 am to 2:00 pm
Where: 200 Block of Martin Luther King Blvd.
Parking
Questions About the Market?
If you have any questions about the market or the vendors, please contact the market manager, Larry Johnson, at 608-455-1999 or email him at larryj@dcfm.org. The DCFM website provides much information as well.
Dane County Farmers' Market
Volunteer Opportunities
Please contact Ruth Miller at ferngulley@mhtc.net for information about volunteering at the market breakfasts (winter months only) or during the outdoor market at the information booth. It's fun, rewarding, and really appreciated by the market-going public. Friends of the DCFM For information on volunteering for any educational projects and programs on the Square or becoming a member of Friends of the Dane County Farmers' Market contact Danielle Wood at friends.Danielle@gmail.com.
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Looking Ahead ... | |
Something New ...
... from San-Kor-Tea Herbs is shown by Kilsa Dremsa.
Called bee bread candy, this offering from the hive brings
something that is sweet, but not overly so, not quite
gooey, yet not quite taffy. That first taste transports you with its texture and subtle, layered flavors. Most anything else we've tasted in a double-twist wrapping
seems overly sweet and one-dimensional by comparison. [North Carroll St.] --Photo by Bill Lubing
 Tickets Available for Burgers and Brew
The Fourth Annual REAP Burgers & Brew is just around the corner, coming up Saturday, June 4 from 4:00-7:30 pm at the Capital Brewery Bier Garten, 7734 Terrace Ave., in Middleton.
One of the highlights of Madison food events, join some of the area's most popular chefs with Wisconsin's talented brewers and farmers to enjoy mouthwatering burgers and satisfying suds. There will be at least three vegetarian options of the 12 selections.
DCFM farmers participating in the event include:
- Fountain Prairie Farms
- Garden To Be
- Pecatonica Valley Farms
- Willow Creek Farms
Pre-purchased $25 tickets get you three mini-meals of a burger and short pour of a microbrew. Tickets are $30 the day of the event. To purchase tickets and for more information visit the REAP website. Maximize your DCFM Gardening Purchases This Saturday the City of Madison and Dane County will be offering home compost bins and rain barrels at the Alliant Energy Center from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm. Middleton will also be offering compost bins and rain barrels from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm this Saturday at the Middleton Pubic Works Garage, 3300 Laura Lane. More information can be found here. Until next week ... Sincerely Bill Lubing
DCFM bill@dcfm.org
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